Horse-hitching device.



No. 638,729. Patented Dec. l2, I899. A. W. LUNDBERG.

HORSE HITCHING DEVICE.

(Application filed Sept. 22, 1899.) (No Model.)

WITNESSES //v VENTOH W I A0906, wlufldberg.

A 77'0HNEY ma scams PEYERS cc PHOYO-LITHEL, wAsum cron. D. a

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST W. LUNDBERG, OF INTERBAY, WASHINGTON.

HORSE-HITCHING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,729, dated December 12, 1899.

Application filed September 22,1899. Serial No. 731,335. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that 1, AUGUST W. LUNDBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Interbay, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IIorse-Hitching Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to hitching horses; and its object is to furnish for this purpose a simple and reliable device that may be controlled from the seat of the vehicle, to which end it consistsin the features more particularly hereinafter described and claimed. Mechanism by which I attain this end and embodying my invention is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle and horse (shown by broken lines) with my device attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical side view of my device, and Fig. 3 a vertical end view of the same.

In the figures the reference-letter A indicates a vehicle-box, B an axle, and O a wheelhub. To the wheel-hub C is secured a gearwheel S, rotatable with the vehicle-wheel and adapted to be meshed with the pinion D, rotatable on a roller-shaft E, that is journaled in the swinging boxes F F, rigidly secured to or integral with the drag-frame G, said frame being fulcrumed on the yoke-hangers H H, secured to the vehicle-axle by clips J J.

K is a sticker having a pin K extending through a boss R at the lower extremity of the drag-frame G and having an adjusting.- nut N on the projecting end of said pin. Coiled around this pin K, between shoulders upon the sticker and said boss R, is a spring M, adapted to relieve the mechanism from shocks when the device is put in operation.

0 is an operating-line; U, the vehicle-shaft; T, a cross-bar therein, andYis a spool to wind the hitching-rein X upon.

The operation of the device is as follows: WYhile the vehicle is in motion and it is not desired to stop the same, the drag-frame G is suspended, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2, by a line 0, that is led through a ring or strap P, attached to the cross-bar T of the vehicle-shaft U, to a point transversely central in the vehicle-box A, immediately in front of the driver, and where by a ring or loop on the said line and hook V upon the vehicle box or seat the drag-frame is held in its normal position. When the vehicle is to be stopped and the horse hitched, the ring or loop is taken from the hook V, thereby releasing the line 0, and the drag-frame G is lowered until the sticker K comes in contact with the ground, where it remains, as shown, until the horse moves forward, causing the lower or sticker arm of the drag-frame G to be drawn rearwardly and the upper arm, carrying the roller-shaft E, to move forward, thereby meshing the pinion D with the gearwheel S, secured to the vehicle-wheel, and, turning therewith, causes the pinion to be rotated, and the hitching-rein X is wound upon the spool Y, giving a pull or tug to the at tachedbridle W, thereby checking the horse; but by the backward movement of the horse the drag-frame puts the pinion out of mesh with the gear-wheel S, permitting the spool to unwind, thus taking all strain from the bridle. Immediately the horse again moves forward the device is again operative.

To prevent an excessive strain upon certain parts of the mechanism, I providea hook V to take a ring or loop upon the line 0 so adjusted that when the sticker end of the drag-frame is moved back sufficiently to prop erly put the pinion in mesh the line will not only prevent its moving too far, but relieves the various parts of considerable strain, and in consequence they may be made of less sizes and weight.

From this description of the device and its mode of operation it is seen to be composed of two distinct mechanisms normally disconnectedfirst, the controlling mechanism, as it may be termdponsisting of the line 0 and the drag-frame G, with the engaging sticker K,and second,thebridle-pull mechanism oper ated by the rotation of the vehicle-wheel, consistin g of hub-gear S, pinion D, winding-spool Y, and the attached line or rein X, and these two disconnected mechanisms are thrown into operative connection by lowering the dragframe to contact with the ground and by the raising of which they separate and become inactive. 4

This invention forms an efficient and re liable means for the accomplishment of the ends and objects noted, involving but few parts, so insuring simplicity and economy of construction, while the power used, being a positively-acting force, obviates the use of weights and kindred devices liable at all times to fail in their work, and danger of failure and getting out of order is reduced to a minimum.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

An improved hitching device for horses consisting of a gear-wheel S secured to a vehicle-wheel and rotatable therewith, a pinion D, a roller-shaft E, a spool Y on said rollershaft, connection between the said spool and bridle of a horse, a drag-frame G having journal-boxes F at one end and a boss R at the other end fulcrumed upon supports H attached to the wagon-axle B, said fulcrum-supports H, a sticker K, a spring M, means for adjusting the tension on said spring, and means to raise and lower the sticker end of the drag-frame to throw the device into operation, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST WV. LUNDBERG.

Witnesses:

ERNEST E. GILMER, PIERRE BARNES. 

